Barbed-wire machine.



D. 0. SMITH. BARBED WIRE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 31:3. 12, 1908.

Patented Oct. 11

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1). 0.. SMITH. BARBED WIRE MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED P3112, 1908.-

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

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APPLIOATIOH FILED FEB. 12, 1908.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

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BARBED WIRE MACHINE.

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D. 0. SMITH. BARBBD WIRE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ran. 12, 1908.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

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D. 0. SMITH.

BARBED WIRE MACHINE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED H13. 12, 1908.

972,657, Patented 001. 11,1910.

IIWIIHIEI .IIIMQINI? wam/m1 DATUS C. SMITH, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

BARBED-WIRE MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DATUS C. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BarbedWVire Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention pertains and is applicable to barbed-wire making machines in general, but is more particularly intended to improve the machine set forth and described in my former Patent No. 853,604 dated May 14, 190

The function of my present machine, like the one it improves, is to make a practicable elastic single-strand barbed-wire with its barbs fixedly-secured on the strand without injury to the latter. The product of my former machine (as illustrated in said former patent) was a coiled or waved strand-wire flattened at intervals and having wire-barbs coiled around its flattened portions, whereby the barbs were prevented from turning as well as from sliding or shifting on the strand, by virtue of the contour of the flats. My present machine is or may be adapted for producing the same or a substantially similar article, but in the specific forms illustrated herein (showing preferred embodiments of my invention) said machine is adapted or comprises means for making a new product, though of a generically similar nature to that produced by my former machine. Such new product may be briefly described as a strand-wire having a form other than straight and hav ing flattened or compressed portions made with slight protuberances thereon, and pro vided with wire-barbs coiled tightly around such flattened or compressed portions, the barbs being held from turning by the crosssectional shape of the flattened strand and prevented from shifting or sliding on the strand by the said protuberances. This mode of securing the barbs in position, which chiefly distinguishes the product of the present from that of my former machine, advantageously allows a longer and less pronounced flattening or compressing of the strand-wire, the lengths of the flats being immaterial since the barbs cannot pass beyond the shoulders or protuberances in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed 'February 12, 1908.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910. Serial No. 415,588.

any event. The protuberances referred to may be of various forms, or of any sort of unevenness, but are preferably in the form of small raised dots, as illustrated in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings. These dots or protuberances, which are easily made, do not interfere with the barbing-wire, nor with the smooth coiling of the barbs on the strand, yet serve to hold the tightly wound barbs from slipping past them. Of whatever specific form or character, the protuberances are preferably arranged at alternating positions on opposite sides of the strand, thus allowing them to be spaced twice as far apart to afford the same degree of holding the barbs, it being suflicient to have one protuberance on each side of each barb. It is in fact suflicient to have one protuberance on any one point or for any one cross-section of the strand at which the barb is affixed.

As to the form of the strand-wire, it may be waved, undulating or coiled, or of any suitable configuration other than straight, to impart a requisite degree of elasticity; but in this instance I prefer and have provided means to crimp or bend the wire intermediate the barbs.

The manufacture by simple and practicable machinery of the article or product just described is one of the objects and constitutes an important feature of my invention, which is not, however, limited to the making of this specific article; a number of features of the invention being adapted to various machines for making other kinds of barbed-wire.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that my invention may be regarded in three aspects: first, as a means for making a new product; second, as a simplification and improvement of mechanism (such for example as illustrated in my former patent) for making the generic barbed-wire product comprising an elastic single-strand-wire with fixedly secured coiled wire-barbs, whether of the particular species herein set forth or the species disclosed in my former patent; and, third, as an improvement in the mechanisms and organization of barbedwire making machinery in general.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings (which are to be taken as a part of this specification) and then particularly pointed out in the appended claims. My former patent should be considered in connection with the present specification which will, so far as practicable, be confined to a description of such features as are regarded as novel; the general principle, construction and operation for making the generic class of wire referred to being fully discussed in the former case. It should be understood that the illustrated machines, while representing preferred embodiments of my invention, are susceptible of various modifications as to details of construction and arrangement of mechanisms, so that I do not desire to be limited to any specific embodiment or construction herein shown and described.

In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one machine embodying my inven tion, excepting the reeling mechanism which is shown in later views. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of eoacting feed-rolls for feeding the strandwire, the said feed-rolls having wire-flatten ing portions or dies which are shown in engagement with the strand-wire for compressing it. Fig. 5 is a front view of the said coacting feed-rolls on the same scale as Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a magnified view of peripheral fragments of the feed-rolls, showing a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fragment of the strand-wire after it has passed through the feed-rolls, this view being likewise magni fied. Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of the barb-coiling mechanism or coiling-head, together with the crimping mechanism beyond the same. Fig. 9 is a detail section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on line 1010 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation on line 11-11 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 12 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of a modified arrangement of barbing mechanism and crimping mechan ism, showing the crimper in advance of the coiling-head. Fig. 13 is a detail section on line 1313 of Fig. 12, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. let is a longitudinal sectional elevation of another machine embodying my invention. Fig 14 is an enlarged central longitudinal section of the strand-wire coiler. Fig. 15 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of the reeling mechanism at the rear of the machine, looking at the opposite side of the machine to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the subject-matter of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is an enlarged plan view of the spreader-wheel showing the barbed wire thereon. Fig. 18

is a rear View of the same showing the barbed wire in cross-section.

As 1n my former machine, (referring to Patent No. 853,60), so in this one, the strand or wire to be barbed threaded through the machine in the usual way, is preferably fed step by step or intermittently, and during the intervals of pause the barbs are applied or coiled thereon and severed from the successively presented end or ends of a continuous barbingvire or wires, the latter being also fed intermittently. In passing through the machine, the strand-wire is operated upon by a mechanism for flattening or compressing the same at intervals (such mechanism in the present case having means for forming the aforesaid protuberances on the flats), and by a mechanism for bending or forming the strand-wire into an elastic shape, and by a rotary coiling-head for applying the barbs, the latter being furnished by the aforesaid barbing-wire or wires. From the coilinghead, the finished barbed-wire, after the barbs have been severed from the barbingwire by a cutter, passes on to the winding reel, upon which the barbed-wire is distributed by a spreader, as usual in machines of this character.

Although an intermittent feed of the strand-wire is preferred, acontinuously fed wire may be used within the scope of this invention. In such case, the machine would be substantially similar to the foregoing in general principle, but the barbing-mechanism would reciprocate back and forth so as to afliX the barb on the strand-wire while in motion.

One barbing-wire is used in making twopoint barbs, and two barbing-wires (fed from opposite sides of the strand) may be used for making four-point barbs, as understood by those familiar with the art. This description will take into account the use of only one barbing-wire, since two-point barbs are much preferred for a product of the character herein set forth.

In this description, the strand-wire will be denoted by the symbol on, and the barbing-wire by the letter 3 Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the 'bed of the machine; 2 is the main driving shaft, shown transverse of the bed. Power may be applied at a pulley 3, which is or may be locked or unlocked on its shaft by a friction-clutch (not shown). As shown in Fig. the shaft 2 transmits motion through gears 4, counter-shaft 5, and bevel gears 6, to a secondary shaft 7, running under the machine in line with the strand-wire.

The various mechanisms that operate on the strand-wire between the feed-rolls and the spreader for the finished barbed-wire, including the strand-wire crimping mecha nism, the barb-atlixing mechanism, and the cutter, are mounted in line on the bed of the machine; and all of these mechanisms (and also the feed-rolls for the barbing-wire) are actuated directly from the single shaft 7, which arrangement of shafting and driving parts contributes materially to the simplicity and smooth operation of the machine.

8 denotes coacting grooved rolls for feeding the strand-wire 00. Said feed-rolls are shown mounted respectively upon the shafts 2 and 13, which are oppositely and continuously driven by intermeshing gears 14. As shown, the shaft 13 of the upper feed-roll has one end journaled in a hinged box 15, and its other end journaled in a movable or sliding box 16 upon which bears an adjusting screw 17, tapped through the standard 18 for regulating the pressure between the rolls. A similar adjusting means is pro vided for the feed-rolls which feed the barb ing-wire, referred to later. Said feed-rolls 8 revolve continuously, but feed the strandwire intermittently. For this purpose, the peripheral grooves of the rolls are formed for only a part of their course of such size or width and depth as to grip and feed the wire, but enlarged for the remainder of their course to allow the rolls to release or slip on the wire. During the release of the wire it is stopped, gripped and held by the crimping mechanism 20, as hereinafter explained. Preferably, though not essentially, one feed of the wire is given by each revolution of the rolls.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the numeral 9 indicates the feed-portions of the grooves, and 10 denotes the enlarged or relieved portions. In the feed portion of the grooves are formed the dies or molds 11, for flattening the strand-wire, which will be considered presently. It would be suflicient to enlarge the groove of only one roll, for releasing the wire, though both grooves are shown enlargecl in the illustration.

The utility of the feed-rolls is increased by providing them with a plurality of grooves, any coacting pair of which may be used for feeding the wire by bringing the desired grooves into line with the rest of the mechanism. This may be accomplished by shifting the rolls on their respective shafts and holding them in their desired position by means of spacing collars 19 and washers 19 said collars being adjustably-secured on their shafts by setscrews. It will be observed that the character of the feeding-portions of the different grooves may be varied, either as to size and length, or both, so as to adapt the same set of rolls to feed different sizes of wire and also to alter the spaces between the barbs.

As in my prior machine, the feed-rolls 8 are preferably utilized as the instrumentality for flattening or compressing the strand-wire; the feed.portions 9 of the peripheral grooves in the rolls being formed or provided with the compressing molds or dies 11 for that purpose, as shown more clearly in Figs, 4:, 5 and 6. The character of the flats or compressions produced will, of course, depend upon the size and form of the molds or dies, which may be substantially as described in my prior patent, or of modified character. In my said patent, the molds are shown and described as portions of the grooves contracted in cross-sectional area but substantially wider than deep and adapted to impart to the strandavire a flattening of general oval character, the wire being compressed all around while being flattened to avoid injury thereto by the flattening process. In my present machine the molds are desirably similar but may be longer, and they are formed with depressions or recesses therein, indicated by numeral 12, the effect of which is to make slight protuberances on the flats or compressed surfaces of the wire, as shown in Fig. 7, the purpose of which has already been explained. The desired alternation of the protuberances on opposite sides of the flats is obtained by causing the recesses 12 in the mold of one roll to alternate with those in the mold of the other or coacting roll. As aforesaid, the protuberances on the wire may be of various forms, but I prefer small raised dots as shown. These are produced by small round holes in the molds, which can easily be made by a drill before the rolls are hardened.

I desire it to be understood that my invention contemplates the formation of the flats with the protuberances thereon, or the production of a flattened or compressed wire with such protuberances, by other means than the revolving feed-rolls, as for example, by means of other coacting dies; it being noted in this connection that the re volving rolls with the molds therein constitute coacting dies in effect. Or, the flattening process may be performed by other rolls or means in connection with the feedrolls.

The coiling-head, through which the strandwire passes from the feed-rolls, is similar to that disclosed in my former patent (with certain additions or improve ments), and may be briefly described as follows, referring more particularly to Fig. 8.

In the bearing 25 is journaled the hollow only to utilize a larger cam 33. The roller 31 traverses the cam-groove once for every complete cycle of rotations of the coilinghead necessary for one barbing operation, so as to make one reciprocation of the bar 29 and coiling-pin 28; for which reason the cam makes one less revolution per operation than the coiling-head. As understood by those familiar with the art, at each barbingoperation the coiling-pin 29 protrudes (as shown in Fig. 8) and engages the end of the barbing-wire (which is projected across the strand-wire), and coils said barbing-wire around the strand and then retracts.

An improvement in the present coilinghead is a device for holding the goose-neck 30 (where such a goose-neck is employed) from swaying laterally as it revolves. For this purpose, the shaft 26 of the coiling-head has a forward extension 35 (shown bolted to the gear 39) in which is formed a groove 36 for the goose-neck 30 to slide back and forth therein, as shown in Figs. 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14:. Said groove 36 is of suflicient width to support the goose-neck laterally and of suflicient depth to allow the goose-neck to move back and forth within the range of movement imparted to the bar by the cam. For symmetry and protection, the extension 35 is shown as a cup-like or conical part, having the said guide-groove 36 formed in a thickened or reinforced portion thereof, as shown more clearly in Figs. 9 and 13.

The coiler-head is driven by gears 39, 40 direct from the subjacent shaft 7 and the cam 33 is similarly driven by gears 41 42. Assuming the coiler-head to revolve four times for one barbing-operation, then the gears 39 and 40 would be in the ratio of one to four, while the gears 11 and 42 for driving the cam would be in the ratio of one to three, since as aforesaid the cam must make one less revolution than the coiler-head for each cycle of operations, during which the coiling-pin 28 projects, engages and coils the end of the barbing-wire y around the strandwire, and then recedes, leaving the coiled end of the barbing-wire ready to be severed by the knife or cutter to make the finished barb. Referring to the said cutter, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11, the barbing-wire 3 as it is fed by the feed-rolls therefor is directed by or in a guide 43 under a fixed knife or shearing edge 44, with which coacts a vertically movable knife 45. The movable knife 45 is operated through a connectingrod d6 by an eccentric 47 on the shaft 7. The use of an eccentric gives a fine knife movement. The knife-operating eccentric 47 is adjustable for timing and limiting the throw of the knife; the eccentric-core 48 being formed with a collar 49 secured on the shaft 7 by a set-screw. Although the upward thrust of the eccentric takes onethe rolls.

its shaft 7, the barb must be severed in less time; for example, I prefer to sever the barb during one-twelfth of the revolution of the driving-shaft 7. This is accomplished by making the extent of the throw of the eccentric such as to admit of its traversing the needed distance for severing the barb within the specific time and also retreating or descending and uncovering the exit of the barbing-wire within the space of time allowed for that wire to remain dormant. For example, if the stroke of the eccentric is 7/8 of an inch the cutting may be efiected near enough to the end of the upward stroke to traverse 1/8 of the stroke distance in 1/12 time and return below the barbing-wire in 3/12 time. Tomeet this condition the feed of the barbing-wire may be accomplished wholly within the last half of the feed of the strand-wire. The knife 45 may be a piece of bar-steel secured in the bifurcated upper end of the plunger 45*. As the knife wears away, it is only necessary to grind the edge of this small piece of steel and finally quickly replace with another. The light-bar or link 49*, shown in Figs. 10 and 11, pivotally attached to a leg of the table and to the eccentric-strap, or to the pivotal connection of the rod 46 with the eccentric, is provided to prevent the eccentric from swaying side-wise, and to hold the lower end of the knife-bar steady and insure the full stroke of the knife. A similar light-bar is provided for the crimper-operating eccentric hereinafter referred to.

50 denotes the feed-rolls of the barbingwire, shown in Figs. 1, 2, l0 and 11. These feed-rolls 50 are or may be substantially similar to the feed-rolls S for the strandwire, but without wire-flattening dies or molds; that is said feed-rolls 5O revolve continuously but feed the barbing-wire intermittently by virtue of an enlargement of portions of the peripheral feed-grooves of No further description is deemed necessary. The barbing-wire must remain stationary when released by the feed-rolls. For this purpose, the barbing-wire, as shown in Figs. 2, 10 and 11, is drawn or dragged by the feed-rolls around a quarter-circular wall 60, which is sufficient to hold the wire when released by the feed-rolls. Of course, any suitable device for stopping the barbing-wire may be substituted. The feedrolls 50 are shown mounted on shafts 51 oppositely driven by intermeshing gears 52, and the rolls are driven from the shaft 7 by gears 53, 5st and interposed idler 55. The shaft of the upper roll is shown having one end journaled in a hinged box 56 and its outer end journaled in a vertically movable box 57 upon which bears an adjusting screw 58, tapped through the standard 59, for regulating the pressure between the rolls.

It is understood that for making fourpoint barbs, two barbing-wires would be fed at opposite sides of the machine, requiring a duplication of the feed-rolls and cutter, and the provision of another coiling-pin in the coiling-head. The necessary duplication of mechanism for this purpose will be understood by those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, and for further information, if necessary, reference may be had to my aforesaid patent.

The before mentioned crimping mechanism 20 is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8 located behind the coiling-head and arranged to operate on the strand-wire after it has been barbed; said mechanism operating during the intervals of rest of the strand-wire and crimping it between the barbs. This crimper is shown more clearly in Fig. 8, where 21 denotes bearings opposed to an intermediate reciprocating crimping-head 22, between which and said bearings the strand-wire is engaged. The wire, as it is crimped, is lifted above its normal line of travel, which is for the purpose of enabling the crimp and the barbs to pass along under the bearings 21 aft-er the descent of the crimping-head 22. vSaid crimping-head is carried by a plun ger-rod or bolt operated by an eccentric 23 on the shaft 7, as shown in Fig. 8. The amount of crimping given to the wire, and the duration of contact therewith, may be regulated by the length of the eccentric stroke. For this purpose, the core of the eccentric is adjustable on its shaft, permitting the upward stroke of the crimper to be timed to culminate at any stage of the operation. To adjust the eccentric core, it may be formed with a collar, indicated by 24 in Figs. 1 and 8, securedupon the shaft 7 by a set-screw. A face view of the eccentric 3 is not shown, being unnecessary because the eccentric for the crimper is similar to that shown and hereinbefore described. for

operating the knife or cutter of the barbingwire.

As previously pointed out, the main purpose of the crimper is to impart an elastic form to the strand-wire, intermediate its barbs, but in addition to its crimping function, the crimper also stops and holds the strand-wire during its intervals of rest while released by the feed-rolls, as before noted. The crimper operates once for each rotation of the shaft 7, during which the coiling-head makes the necessary cycle of revolutions for one barbing operation.

It will be observed from the foregoing that at each revolution of the driving-shafts 2 and 7, one intermittent feed is imparted to the strand-wire m and likewise to the barbing-wire y, and during the interval of rest the strand-wire is engaged and held by the crimpingmechanism 20, intermediate the previously atlixed barbs, and during such interval the strandwire is also operated upon by the coiling-head 27, whose pin 28 coils the end of the barbing-wire y around the strand at a previously flattened or compressed portion thereof, whereupon the coiled end of the barbing-wire is severed by the knife 45; the foregoing constituting one complete cycle of operations.

In Fig. 12, I have illustrated a modification of the arrangement of the coiling-head and crimping-mechanism, the latter being shown located in advance of instead of behind the coiling-head, so as to crimp the wire previous to the barbing operation. In this case, the bearings 21 are preferably spaced a little farther apart, so as to make a longer crimp which will more readily pass through the contracted bore 37 of the coiling-head 27. The crimper, in this case, will of course engage the strand-wire intermediate its flattened portions upon which the barbs are subsequently afiixed;

Instead of a crimper, other suitable mechanisms may be employed for forming the wire into suitable form, other than straight, to impart the requisite degree of elasticity. In this connection, I have shown in Fig. 14 a strand-wire coiling-mechanisln, located between the feed-rolls and the barbing mechanism. This strand-wire coiler comprises a revoluble shaft 20, shown mounted in ball-bearings, having its core provided with a spiral passage through which the strandwire is threaded. Hence the strand-wire is caused to take this spiral course, thereby imparting a spiral or coiled form to the wire which renders it elastic. The coiler revolves by the action of the wire in passing there through.

The strand-wire coiler shown in Fig. 14 is adapted for use either for manufacturing coiled wire as a separate product, or for use in a fence or fabric weaving or other wire working machine, for coiling the strand wires which are passed through the machine. An enlarged view is shown in Fig. 14. The spirally-grooved arbor 20 is secured tightly or fixedly in the sleeve 20 having threaded ends (preferably reduced) on which are screwed bearing cones 20; or the three pieces 20 20 and 20 may be combined in a single piece with cones as shown. By extending the arbor 20 clear through the ends of the cones, as shown, there is no liability of the end of the wire engaging the cones as it is newly fed through. These cones are mounted in cups 20, with interposed anti-friction balls; and the cups 2-0 are screwed to the ends of an outer sleeve 2O mounted on, or as shown formed as a part of, the standard or support 20 The cups and cones are readily detachable, and the bearings for the coiler may be adjusted by screwing the cups. The cups are then looked in position by the collar jamnuts 20 The outer sleeve 20 together with its cups 20 is held rigid in its standard. The inner sleeve 20, with its cones 20, is revolved by the arbor 20 to which it is fixed. The arbor turns about the wire and effects the coil as the wire is drawn through it. It requires no other drive. The bell-mouthed receiving end of the arbor 20* may extend beyond the bearing-cup at that end in order to provide in itself a small wire guide to reach well within the feed-rolls 8 which de liver the wire to the coiler, as shown in Fig. 1%. This bell-shaped mouth of the arbor receives the wire in its axial center. but preferably rises at an angle or incline to reach the level of the spiral groove, as shown in the same figure. The spiral groove may, however, be deepened to meet the bell-mouth at the axial center, especially when using an arbor of small diameter; though the former arrangement is preferred, especially when using a larger arbor.

Where a strand-wire coiler or other similar mechanism is used for making the wire elastic, in such case the previously described crimper, if used at all, would be employed only to grip and hold the strand-wire during the intervals of its release by the feedrolls 8; said crimper, in such case, being ad justed to operate practically as a clamp, or a clamp or other suitable device being substituted for it. In the construction shown in Fig. 14, I have dispensed with the crimper, and have provided gripping rolls 8, preceding the feed-rolls S. Said gripping-rolls serve to hold the strand-wire stationary when released by the feed-rolls.

Where, as in Figs. 12 and 14:, an unstraight strand-wire (as a coiled, waved or crimped wire) is fed through the coilinghead to be barbed, it is desirable tokeep such wire from swaying laterally or to and from the coiling-pin as the wire emerges from the coiling-head. I have found in practice that these unstraight wires, in passing through the usual contracted exitopening of the coiling-head, tend to sway unduly, this being controlled by the direction the undulation of the wire is taking back of the exit, that is, within the coilinghead. To remedy this and project the ,strandwire substantially parallel with the coiling-pin, I provide for guiding the strand-wire practically straight for an appreciable distance just preceding the exitopening of the coiling-head, say for about one-quarter or more of the length of one undulation of the wire. This is accomplished by contracting the axial bore of the coiler, for the distance named before the exit-opening, to substantially the diameter or only slightly more than the diameter of the strand-wire itself, as shown by the bearing-tube 37 in Figs. 12 and let; while leaving the precedent portion of the bore of sufficient diameter to accommodate the waves of the wire, as shown by the larger bearingtube 38. This contrivance prevents the strand-wire from swaying in the tube 37, and hence for a short distance beyond the same.

As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the finished barbed-wire passes through a guide 6% and over a spreader to the winding-reel 70, shown mounted in a suitable frame at the rear of the machine. In opposite sides of the reel-frame, segment like wings or shields 71 preferably of sheet-metal, are provided to guide the finished barbed-wire to the reel and prevent the wire from passing to and over the reel-heads, as frequently happens. The reel-shaft 72 is shown driven from a counter-shaft 73 by a sprocket-chain 7a engaging sprocket-wheels 75 and 76 on said shafts. The sprocket 76 on shaft 73 may be a loose element and provided with a flatfaced disk 77 held yieldingly by a spring 78 against a friction-plate or leather-faced disk 79 fast on said shaft 73. In this way the reel is driven continuously but its motion is allowed to slacken to compensate for the gradual increasing size of the bale of barbed-wire on the reel, as well as to stop during the intermittent pause of the strandwire while a barb is being affixed, in which case the leather disk of the first element 7 9 simply slips on the loose element 77. The shaft 73 may be driven direct from the main-shaft 2 of the barbed-wire machine, or otherwise. In the drawings, said shaft 73 is shown driven by a sprocket-chain 80 from a shaft 81, mounted in bearings at the rear of the barbed-wire machine, said shaft 81 being driven by a sprocket-chain 82 from the main shaft 2. If the shaft 73 should be driven by a sprocket-chain direct from the main-shaft 2, then in such case the shaft 81 may be driven by the same sprocket-chain by engagement with a sprocket-wheel on said shaft 81.

The spreader 65 is shown as the usual pin-wheel mounted on a stationary shaft 66 provided with a right-and-left hand screwthread, adapted to cause the spreader to reciprocate on said shaft in order to properly distribute the wire on the reel. An improvement in this connection resides in positively driving the spreader, which has I believe heretofore been driven only by the passage of the barb-wire over the spreaderwheel. In this case, the spreader-wheel 65 is revolubly mounted on a sleeve-like extension 67 of the hub of a pulley or sleeve 68, the latter constituting the holder of the spreader-wheel and carrying internally a. dog to coact with the right-andleft hand screw on the shaft 66. The pulley 68 is driven by a belt 69 from a drum on the shaft 81.

Instead of this arrangement, the

holder for the spreader-wheel might be held non-revoluble and the shaft 66 might be driven.

The reeling mechanism described embodies another feature, the purpose of which is to effect the winding of the barbed-wire on the spool in such manner that all the barbs will lie flat-wise. I. have in experience found it heretofore difficult to prevent my barbed-wire machines from persistently throwing the barbs in such a way that when they strike the spool they will stand up right, more or less. This not only makes a bad looking spool, but the barbs are liable to get bruised in handling, and moreover the spool or bundle is uncomfortable to handle on account of the out-standing barbs. The cause of this trouble is due partly to the tendency of the barbed-wire to turn, in passing to the reel, on account of an initial twist given to the plain strand-wire as it comes from the supply coil. In delivering the plain strand-wire to the machine it is, usually in practice, drawn from its supply spool up over an iron basket. The effect is to leave a long open twist in the wire, amounting to one complete twist for about every seven and one-half feet of wire from a thirty-inch coil. This natural twist in the wire extends all the way through the machine from the delivery coil to the reel for the barbed-wire; being modified somewhat by the holding of the wire in fixed position as it passes through the machine. Although the barbs are applied horizontally across the st 'and, in a machine of the character herein set forth, yet the result of the natural twist in the strand is to tend to turn the latter after it has been barbed and while passing to the winding reel.

The solution of the foregoing difficulty is as follows: The spreader-wheel (35, over which the barbed-wire is drawn to the reel, has its prongs 65 separated enough to allow the wire to rest on the smooth surface of the body of the spreader-wheel. Now as the wire is intermittently drawn forward by the reel, it is brought forcibly to rest on the spreader-wheel, which is so located that the barbs are successively carried directly to the resting point thereon, as represented in Figs. 17 and 18. Hence, during the intermittent pause of the wire, the out-spread or horizontal points of the rigidly fixed barb bearing upon the spreader-wheel will for the instant hold the wire from turning; and the next barb brought to rest upon the spreaderwheel will do the same thing. The result is that the barbed-wire winds perfectly 011 the reel, with the barbs all lying flat-wise on the spool. The surface of the spreaderwheel needs simply to be wide enough to allow the barb to press down and find a flat surface under it. This matter of bringing the wire to rest, with the barb bearing with some pressure against a fiat surface, is easily arranged, being simply a matter of spacing between the reeling mechanism and the machine. Various devices may be used for carrying out this principle. In a machine for barbing a continuously fed strand-wire, the same principle may be carried out by dragging the barbs in firm contact along a fiat surface. Another advantage of the feature here explained that when the barbs rest fiat-wise on the spreader-wheel, each point of the barb standing out horizontally, there is no injury whatever to the barbs in passing thereover; whereas, in cases where the barbs turn up vertically in passing over the spreader-shaft, they are liable to injury as they are drawn through.

The operation of the several mechanisms having already been explained, it will be sufiicient to summarize as follows: At each rotation of the driving-shafts 2 and 7, the coiling-head makes one barbing operation, occurring during the interval of rest of the st 'and-wire :11, which is fed intermittently by the feed-rolls 8 (although, as aforesaid, the intention may be embodied in a machine for operating on a continuously fed strandwire). In feeding the strand-wire one step, the coacting molds or dies 11 in the feed rolls (Figs. at, 5 and 6) engage the wire and flatten or compress it, making the aforesaid slight protuberances on the flattened surfaces of the wire; while a previouslymade flattened portion of the strand-wire is caused to emerge from the exit opening of the coiling-head, ready to receive the barb. During such feed of the strand-wire, the feed-rolls 5O feed the end of the harbingwire y across the strand-wire, in position to be engaged by the coiling-pin 28. During the period of rest of the wires, while they are released by their respective feed-rolls 8 and 50, the coiling pin 28 engages the end of the barbing-wire and coils it tightly around the flattened or compressed portion of the strand; then the coiling-pin retracts and the knife 15 rises and cuts off or severe the barb. At the next operation, the com pleted barb passes rearward, and the next flattened portion of the strand is brought into position to be barbed; the operation being repeated thereon, etc. In passing through the machine, the strand-wire is operated upon to make it unstraight, either by the crimping mechanism 20 (Fig. 8), operating on the strand after it has been barbed to crimp the same intermediate its barbs; or by the crimper operating on the strand before it is barbed, as in Fig. 12, or by any other suitable mechanism, such as the strand-wire coiler 20 (Fig. 14) shown interposed between the feed-rolls 8 and the barbing mechanism. The resultant product is a practicable single strand barbed-wire, having the requisite degree of elasticity and having wire barbs fixedly attached or secured in permanent position on the strand. The finished barbed-wire is, as described, drawn rearward and wound upon the reeling mechanism.

In view of the variant lengths of feed of the strandire .0 resulting when using different grooves or lengths of feed-grooves of the feed-rolls S, or from wearing away of the grooves and other causes, it is desirable that the barbing and coordinated mechanisms should be adjustable longitudinally on the bed of the machine, for the purpose of varying the distance between the feed-rolls and the point where the barbing-wire is fed in, coiled and severed. This is to insure affixing of the barbs on the flats or flattened portions of the strand-wire, whatever the length of the feed of the latter may be. For this purpose, the bearing 34 of the cam 33, the bearing '25 of the coiling-head, the standards for the barbing-wire feed-rolls 50, and the knives 14 and 45, together withv the coordinated elements of these several mechanisms, are all shown mounted on a plate 1 which is slidable longitudinally of and adjustably secured upon the bed 1 of the machine, there being coacting gibs and gibways 1 (Figs. 10 and 11) between the said sliding plate and bed, and the plate being attached by cap-screws 1 (Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11), said cap-screws passing through slots in the plate. Hence the entire barbing and correlated mechanisms can be shifted longitudinally in accordance with the length of strand-wire feed. The shaft 7 on which the gears 42, 40 and 54 and eccentrics 23 and A7 are rigidly attached, is adapted to be shifted longitudinally with the sliding plate, so to carry the driving connections between said shaft and operating mechanisms with the plate; and the bed 1 is cut away at spaces to accommodate the shifting of gears 42, a0, 5% and eccentric-rods. To shift the shaft 7, its bearing boxes 7 and 7 are adjusted in the desired direction, said boxes being attached to the machine-bed by bolts passing through slots in the flanges of the bearing-boxes; and the pinion G is then adjusted and secured on said shaft 7 in proper position to mesh with the gear 1.

The product herein disclosed is made the subject matter of an application filed July 15, 1910, Serial No. 572,218, as a division of this application.

I claim as my invention and desire to se cure by Letters Patent:

1. In a wireqvorking machine, a wire-flattening mechanism adapted for flattening or compressing a strand-wire at intervals and having means for forming protuberances on such flattened or compressed portions of the wire, for the purpose described.

2. In a wire-Working machine, a wireengaging mechanism having means for making slight protuberances in the form of dots on a strand-wire, for the purpose described.

3. In a wire-working machine, coacting dies or molds for engaging and flattening a strand-wire, said dies or molds having recesses in their wire-engaging surfaces for forming protuberances on the wire.

=1. A barb-wire machine having, in combination, a crimper and a barbing mechanism operating on alternate portions of a strandwire, producing a barbed wire with crimps between its barbs.

5. A barb-wire machine having, in combination, a simultaneously-operating crimper and barbing mechanism, and means for feeding a strand to bring alternate portions thereof to the crimper and barbing mechanism.

6. A barb-wire machine having, in combination, means for feeding a strand-wire intermittently, barbing mechanism operating on said strand-wire during its periods of rest, and a crimper operating during the same periods and on portions of the strandwire intermediate the points of attachment of the barbs.

7. A barb-wire machine having, in combination, wire flattening and barb coiling mechanisms operating in succession on the same portions of a strand-wire to flatten the same at intervals and afliX barbs on its flattened portions, and a crimper operating on the intermediate portions of said strandwire.

8. In a barb-wire machine, barbing-mechanism adapted for fixedly-securing barbs on a strand-wire, and means for feeding a strand-wire crimped at intervals so as to present portions thereof intermediate its crimps to the action of said barbing mechanism.

9. A barb-wire machine having, in combination, mechanism for flattening or compressing and forming protuberances on a strand-wire, and barbing mechanism adapted to coil wire barbs thereon.

10. A barb-wire machine having, in combination, a crimper and a barbing mechanism, and means for feeding therethrougha strand-wire flattened or compressed at intervals so as to present its flattened portions to the action of said barbing mechanism and its intermediate portions to the action of said crimper.

11. In a barb-wire machine, the combination of a strand-wire crimper, and a barb-coiling device comprising a shaft having an axial bore large enough for passage of the crimps in the strand-wire, and a rotary head provided with a coiling-pin or finger and having a contracted bore slightly larger than the diameter of the wire itself.

12. In a barbed-wire machine, means for feeding a strand-wire having barbs aflixed thereon, and a crimping mechanism arranged to operate on said wire intermediate the barbs.

13. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination of a feed mechanism adapted for intermittently feeding a strand-wire, a barbing mechanism for applying barbs on said strand-wire during its intervals of rest, and a crimping mechanism adapted to engage said strand-wire during such intervals of rest, said crimping mechanism operating intermediate the points on which the barbs are applied.

14. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination with means for feeding a wire, of a crimping mechanism comprising a reciprocating crimping-head and opposed bearings between which and said crimping-head the wire is engaged, said bearings being so located that the wire when undergoing a crimping operation is lifted by the crimpingheadout of its normal course and returns to such course when the crimping-head retracts.

15. In a barb-wire machine, the combination with a barbing-mechanism, of a crimper adapted to crimp the strand-wire between the barbs and comprising coacting jaws which on release are sufficiently separated at opposite sides of the strand-wire to allow passage of its crimps and barbs without obstruction.

16. In a barb-wire machine, the combination with a barbing-mechanism, of a crimper comprising coacting reciprocatory. and stationary jaws, the latter so arranged that the crimping operation carries the strand-wire out of its normal line to enable said wire to resume said line and pass the stationary jaw after release and withdrawal of the reciprocatory jaw.

17. In a wire-working machine, continuously revolving feed-rolls for intermittently feeding a strand wire thereby, in combination with means for flattening the wire, and means for stopping and holding the wire during its intermittent dormant periods.

18. In a wire-working machine, oppositelyrevolving feed-rolls having coacting grooves adapted to grip and feed the wire during only a part of the revolution of said rolls, the latter adapted to release the wire for a part of their revolution, and means for gripping and holding said wire stationary while released by said feed-rolls.

19. In a wire-working machine, the combination with wire-feeding rolls adapted to intermittently release the wire, of a curved drag wall around which the wire is dragged by said rolls, whereby said wire is held stationary when released by said rolls.

20. In a wire-working machine, coacting oppositely revolving feed rolls provided with peripheral grooves adapted for a part of the revolution of said rolls to grip and thereby feed a strand-wire and said rolls adapted for a part of their revolution to release and slip on the strand-wire, the said grooves having molds therein for flattening or compressing the strand-wire, whereby said strand-wire is intermittently fed and flattened or compressed at intervals during its feed.

21. Coacting feed-rolls peripherally grooved for gripping and feeding a strandwire and having flattening or compressing molds in its feed-grooves with recesses or indentations in the compressing surfaces of said molds for forming slight protuberances on the strand-wire.

22. In a wire-working machine, the combination with means for feeding a wire, of a crimping mechanism comprising a reciprocating crimping-head, a driving shaft, and an eccentric on said shaft for operating said crimping-head.

23. A rotary coiling-head axially bored for passage of the strand-wire and carrying a reciprocating bar provided with a coilingfinger at one end and a goose-neck at the other end, a cam engaging a pin or roller carried by the goose-neck end of said bar for reciprocating the same, and an extension on the coiling-head having a slot in which the goose-neckof said bar reciprocates, to prevent lateral swaying of said goose-neck as the coiler with the bar therein revolves.

24. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination of strand-wire feed-rolls, a mechanism for imparting an elastic form to the strand-wire, and a coiling-head, all arranged substantially in alinement, and a cutter and barbing-wire feed-rolls in proper relation with the coiling-head, a driving-shaft arranged under and longitudinally of said mechanisms, the feed-rolls for the strandwire being geared with said shaft, and all the remaining mechanisms being operated directly from said shaft.

25. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination with a barbing-mechanism and a winding-reel, of an interposed spreader comprising a right-and-left handed screw and a revoluble spreader-wheel thereon, the holder of the wheel being in engagement with said screw, either the said screw or the said holder being revoluble and the other non-revoluble, and means for positively driving such revoluble element.

26. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination with a winding-reel, of a spreader comprising a right-and-left handed screw, a pulley thereon engaging with said screw, a spreader wheel coaxial with and revolubly carried by said pulley, and a belt passing around said pulley and positively driving the same.

27. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination with a winding-reel, and means for directing the finished barb-wire thereto, of shields or wings at opposite sides of the reel arranged to direct the wire to the reel and prevent the wire from passing to or over the reel-heads.

28. In a wire-working machine, Wirecompressing mechanism having means for forming on a strand-wire slight protuberances not extending clear across the surface of the wire on which they are formed, for the purpose specified.

29. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination of strand-Wire feeding mechanism susceptible of imparting variant lengths of feed to the strand-wire, and barbing mech' anism adjustable longitudinally of the bed of the machine for conforming to the length of feed.

30. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination with barbing-mechanism and a reel, of a surface therebetween over which the barbed-wire is drawn and with which the rigidly fixed barbs contact with pressure, thereby preventing the wire from twisting or turning and causing the reeling of the barbed-wire with its barbs all lying flatwise of the spool.

31. In a barbed-wire machine, the combi nation with means for intermittently feed ing the strand-wire, barbing-mechanism, and a reel adapted for winding the intermittently fed wire, of a spreader-wheel between the barbing-mechanism and reel over which the wire is drawn in contact with the body of the wheel, the arrangement being such that the rigidly fixed barbs are successively brought to rest upon the body of said wheel, thereby preventing the wire from turning.

32. In a barb-wire machine, the combination of barbing mechanism adapted for affixing barbs rigidly ona wire-strand, a reeling mechanism, and means controlling the barbed wire on its passage to the reel so as to cause the barbs to lie flatwise on the spool.

33. In a barb-wire machine, the combination with strand-wire feeding mechanism, of barbing mechanism adjustable longitudinally of the bed of the machine.

34. In a barb-wire machine, the combination with strand-wire feeding means, and means for making barb-seats on or in the wire at intervals, of barbing-mechanism adapted for afiixing barbs on said barbseats and adjustable longitudinally of the bed of the machine to insure presentation of the barb-seats in proper position to receive the barbs.

35. In a barbqvire machine, the combination of a barbing-mechanism and cooperative mechanisms, and a base-plate supporting said mechanisms and slidably-adjustable longitudinally on the bed of the machine.

36. In a barbed-wire machine, the combination of a. feeding mechanism adapted for feeding a strand-wire, a barbing mechanism for applying barbs on said strand-Wire, and a crimping mechanism adapted to engage said strand wire, said crimping mechanism operating intermediate the points on which the barbs are applied.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

DATUS C. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

GRACE M. TOWN, M. ELIZABETH HAMMOND. 

